Calva

Inspired by warm notes of French Calvados, we wanted to make a distillate of fermented Istrian apples.

October in Istria was perfect. Sunny and colorful, with plenty of autumn fruit. We went to Kaldir, near Motovun- a region known for its fruit orchards, to get the apples for our distillate. Mr. Branko, a local apple grower, had a cute dog that was afraid of the camera, a donkey, banana trees by the house, and roses growing by the old stone wall. Then there was the scent of apples in the air and a beautiful view of Motovun. One of the benefits of shopping locally is these encounters.

We bought 150 kilos of Golden Delicious, a yellowish-green sort known for its sweetness. We washed and crushed the apples by hand and left them for fermentation. The choice of the apple sort was right, as natural sugar from the fruit helped the fermentation. After a slow distillation process, a fruity, flavorful apple distillate with a high percentage of alcohol came out of the still. We wanted to create a richer flavor and left the distillate to age in contact with French oak on a sailing boat in the Bunarina marina in Pula. The constant movement of the sea increases contact between distillate and wood. This idea is not new- already in the 18th century, American bourbon producers discovered improved taste in bourbon that traveled by ships. Afterward, Calva kept aging in our distillery and is, at the moment, aged for more than a year.

The distillate turned golden in both color and scent- with distinctive apple scent, warm and fruity flavor, and smoky wooden notes, this distillate is perfect for long winter evenings.

It would be best enjoyed at room temperature.